Central Bazaar Julius Ems

Businessman Julius Ems, married to Paula Rosenthal, opened a Central 50 pfennig bazaar at the end of 1895 at 52 Schuhstraße with haberdashery, gallantry, toys, household articles, glass and porcelain. However, the range was soon expanded to include more expensive items. His business concept, which included special promotions such as Christmas exhibitions, was so successful that he acquired the more centrally located shop at Am Markt 2 in 1904. The "Central-Bazar", which opened in October 1905, was praised by the local press and enjoyed a very good reputation in Celle. Julius Ems was an active member of the Celle synagogue congregation: from 1900 he was initially a member of the congregation committee, from 1913 accounting officer and from May 1916 until his death second head of the congregation.
After a short, serious illness, Julius Ems died on March 25, 1918 at the age of 52. He was buried in the Jewish cemetery in Celle. His widow Paula and their daughter Paula (born 21.12.1896) took over the business, which continued to enjoy a high reputation.

Leonie Ems, Julius Ems' sister, married the lawyer Dr. Albert Hirschfeld from Detmold in 1921, where the couple moved. Presumably for this reason, the business was handed over to the businessman and former authorized signatory Johann Bertram, who continued to run it for some time. Until around 1935, the former Ems’schen business premises were leased to the large Jewish department store Freidberg. In 1939, the "Ordinance on the Elimination of Jews from German Economic Life" forced Paula Ems and Leonie Hirschfeld, née Ems, to sell their houses at Am Markt 2 and Schuhstraße 53. The contract was signed in Hanover, where Paula Ems had lived since 1929.Paula Ems, aged 75, was deported from Hanover to Theresienstadt on July 23, 1942. She died there on March 12, 1944.

From:https://stolpersteine-guide.de/map/biografie/845/ems-und-hirschfeld